GRAND FORKS, N.D. - University of North Dakota forward Danny Kristo announced today that he will return for his senior season in 2012-13.

A second-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2008, Kristo enjoyed the best season of his collegiate career in 2011-12, achieving career highs in points (45), goals (19), assists (team-leading 26), game-winning goals (3) and plus/minus (+16). He was named to the NCAA West Region All-Tournament Team and received UND's Virg Foss 3-Star Award for earning the most 3-star voting points at home games.

UND's leading active scorer with 109 points (42 goals, 67 assists) in 117 career games, Kristo finished ninth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) scoring race and put together 15 multi-point games. He became the 84th player in program history to amass 100 career points when he scored twice in a 4-2 win over Minnesota State on March 2.

As a sophomore in 2010-11, Kristo collected eight goals and 20 assists in 34 games and finished the year with 23 points (7 goals, 16 assists) over his last 17 games. He returned from a 10-game injury absence in March to record three goals and three assists in UND's five playoff games.

Kristo was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 after winning the league's rookie scoring race with 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 41 games and leading the team with nine power-play goals. He was also Inside College Hockey's National Rookie of the Year runner-up and helped lead the United States to a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

Kristo, a 5-foot-11, 188-pound, product of Eden Prairie, Minn., will enter the 2012-13 season as the leading active scorer among WCHA forwards.